Baytril For Mites?

[Ashley1990]

I took my guinea pig to the vets the other day because i felt she was itching and biting her fur more often than normal. The vet checked her over for mites/lice and said she couldn't see anything and that she had no hair loss and seemed perfectly healthy. Her behaviour has been as normal and is happy as always, eating normal etc. The vet did say that she could prescribe a cream/lotion as a precaution if I felt that the itching was getting worse or if she had any hair loss which she did. I phoned and went to collect the treatment and when I got home realised that they had prescribed 0.2ml daily of baytril. She has previously taken this for a uri and did not respond overly well to it. Unsure why I was given this i called and the woman at reception told me that was what the vet had put out and that it can be used to treat mites. I am reluctant to give it to her though as I can't find anywhere online that used baytril to treat mites, especially not as a precaution. Last time she needed probiotics to recover from it. Can anyone tell me if they think this is the correct step to take?

 

[VickiA]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Please can you add your location as it helps us to tailor advice.

How old is your piggy? Have you had her long? Is the vet Cavy savvy?
Baytril is the only antibiotic licensed for guinea pigs. However it is an antibiotic and I've not heard of antibiotics being prescribed for mites or fungal. I would ask to speak to the vet directly

 

[sport_billy]

Baytril is not a treatment for mites. Please consult another vet. Whereabouts are you located, we will try and recommend one for you.

Any sign of scabs, dandruff or hair loss anywhere?

 

[Ashley1990]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Please can you add your location as it helps us to tailor advice.

How old is your piggy? Have you had her long? Is the vet Cavy savvy?
Baytril is the only antibiotic licensed for guinea pigs. However it is an antibiotic and I've not heard of antibiotics being prescribed for mites or fungal. I would ask to speak to the vet directly

She is around 10 weeks. We got her from a pet shop and was sick from day 1 with a uri. The vets that we go to are very much cat and dog people! I'm going to call again tomorrow and ask to see or speak to the vet because her itching is getting out of control. Poor thing.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Ashley1990]

Baytril is not a treatment for mites. Please consult another vet. Whereabouts are you located, we will try and recommend one for you.

Any sign of scabs, dandruff or hair loss anywhere?

I'm in Crieff in Scotland. Not sure of many other vets close by... she didn't have anything when I originally took her to the vet but I noticed today that she has a little bald patch on her front right leg. She has also started doing a weird thing where she looks like she is having a seizure and sort of tilts her head and falls on to her side. Not like her usual popcorning though. I get the impression from the vet that I'm being paranoid but I just don't think she is right...

 

[Dorothy&Coco]

Sorry to hear your piggy isn't well. It sounds like she might need to see the vet again asap? I have asked for your thread to be moved to the health and illness section so you get more replies from people with more knowledge than me. I hope your girl is better soon .

 

[Gem789]

I took my guinea pig to the vets the other day because i felt she was itching and biting her fur more often than normal. The vet checked her over for mites/lice and said she couldn't see anything and that she had no hair loss and seemed perfectly healthy. Her behaviour has been as normal and is happy as always, eating normal etc. The vet did say that she could prescribe a cream/lotion as a precaution if I felt that the itching was getting worse or if she had any hair loss which she did. I phoned and went to collect the treatment and when I got home realised that they had prescribed 0.2ml daily of baytril. She has previously taken this for a uri and did not respond overly well to it. Unsure why I was given this i called and the woman at reception told me that was what the vet had put out and that it can be used to treat mites. I am reluctant to give it to her though as I can't find anywhere online that used baytril to treat mites, especially not as a precaution. Last time she needed probiotics to recover from it. Can anyone tell me if they think this is the correct step to take?

My local vet prescribed baytril as one of my guinea pigs was moulting more than usual.I knew that's not a treatment for mites so never gave her it.

 

[Swissgreys]

I know that severe mite infestations can cause seizures, and mites can also be difficult to detect.
Our Eddi had them, and multiple skin tests showed nothing, but the vet was sure his itchiness was abnormal so prescribed Ivermectin.
Within 24 hours of starting the treatment he was a different pig.
It sounds like your vet might not know a lot about guinea pigs?
I don't know what else to say, but maybe suggest Ivermectin spot on or injections to your vet?
I hope you get things sorted soon.

 

[Sue G]

I've just had a lengthy period (a month) with Sage suffering from mites, and he had the Ivermectin "spot on" treatment, 3 sessions 10 days apart. He'd lost most of his hair from his waist down, but that is now re-growing beautifully. I wouldn't have thought Baytril was an appropriate treatment unless your piggie had caused open wounds that had become infected. I hope you can get some answers for your little one.

 

[Lady Kelly]

mites are invisible to the human eye so of course the vet wouldn't see any

 

[Swissgreys]

mites are invisible to the human eye so of course the vet wouldn't see any

Just to clarify that most vets would take various skin and hair samples, and then examine them microscopically (which both our vet and I did in the case of Eddi).
Just checking the hair and skin visually is not enough.

 

[Mother Hubbard]

Goodness, Baytril for mites... I wonder whether the scratching is because of ear mites and causing the unbalance?

 

[Lady Kelly]

Just to clarify that most vets would take various skin and hair samples, and then examine them microscopically (which both our vet and I did in the case of Eddi).
Just checking the hair and skin visually is not enough.

Yes that's what I meant. Just a look at the piggy no matter how closely isn't going to get to the bottom of it